# Bolivar Question



## Wombat (Sep 8, 2005)

Hello All:

I'm interested in getting a box of the Belicosos Finos. I see that it comes in a dress box and a cabinet (both qty 25). Price seems to be about the same for both. MRN states that the dress box needs less aging. Anybody have any direct experience with either (or both)? What should I go for?


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

Well, bat, it's like this. The best experiences I have had with this one have been out of cabinets. The worst ones I ever had were from a dress box. But the best BBF I ever had came out of a dress box from a LCDH. It was an experience I have never forgotten and one I have since been on a quest to repeat to no avail. This cigar was ethereal and indescribably delicious. I have had plenty of good ones, but never another truly great one. The extra 15 bucks you pay for the cabinet pays for itself in spades as far as the ability to keep you babies free from too much air exchange and also helps the draw IMO. But I never had a plugged BBF either. IMO, go for the cabs, since the flat dress boxes never seem to seal properly once you break into em. Plus you can also use them to store similarly sized cigars later. If I have cedar cabs available, I always will take a bad sealing dress box and empty it. More info than you needed??


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## colgate (Jan 18, 2005)

Wombat said:


> Hello All:
> 
> I'm interested in getting a box of the Belicosos Finos. I see that it comes in a dress box and a cabinet (both qty 25). Price seems to be about the same for both. MRN states that the dress box needs less aging. Anybody have any direct experience with either (or both)? What should I go for?


Try to get 04's or earlier. My 05's (and from comments, others) are not smoking that well. 04 was a great year for BBF. The 05's are really really young. Green young.


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## mcgoospot (Jan 1, 2000)

Go with the cabs. Have some from '99, '01 and '03 that are tremendous!!!


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

The old rule of thumb I was told is that at the factory, when they are separating the cigars by shade after a production run, the best out of the run go into the cabinet boxes, and the rest go in the dress boxes.


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## colgate (Jan 18, 2005)

mosesbotbol said:


> The old rule of thumb I was told is that at the factory, when they are separating the cigars by shade after a production run, the best out of the run go into the cabinet boxes, and the rest go in the dress boxes.


I read somewhere there isn't any separating going on at least at the factory the submitter visited. They use the same sticks for both. But I would always buy the cab cuz I like round stogies.


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## thebiglebowski (Dec 19, 2005)

Have only had experience with BBFs in dress boxes and oh my god - without a doubt one of my top 5 smokes! i have a few left from 1994 (yes, seriously) and am guarding them jealously. i keep hearing unfavorable comments about recent vintage (2005). has anyone had one VERY recently? the past month or so? reason i ask is, i will be travelling abroad this month and plan to stock up. coronas gigantes, as well!


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

colgate said:


> I read somewhere there isn't any separating going on at least at the factory the submitter visited. They use the same sticks for both. But I would always buy the cab cuz I like round stogies.


They definitely separate cigars by shade at a minimum. How could they sell a box of equally shaded cigars if they didn't separate them? My old girlfriend had a tour of the Partagas Factory and actually got me BBF's based on my shade preference. This is where they told her about the cabinet boxes as well.


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## colgate (Jan 18, 2005)

mosesbotbol said:


> They definitely separate cigars by shade at a minimum. How could they sell a box of equally shaded cigars if they didn't separate them? My old girlfriend had a tour of the Partagas Factory and actually got me BBF's based on my shade preference. This is where they told her about the cabinet boxes as well.


Fair enough. I was speaking to quality. I heard it's all in your head if you think it's different. But why buy the dress box when the cab is 15 bucks more?


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

colgate said:


> Fair enough. I was speaking to quality. I heard it's all in your head if you think it's different. But why buy the dress box when the cab is 15 bucks more?


They are the same cigar, just the best ones out of "the same" cigars goes into the cabinet.


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## Wombat (Sep 8, 2005)

colgate said:


> Try to get 04's or earlier. My 05's (and from comments, others) are not smoking that well. 04 was a great year for BBF. The 05's are really really young. Green young.


Thanks guys, this was exactly the information I was looking for! Anybody have a source that they can PM me that has '04 or earlier? The two sources I use have only the 05's in stock.


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## MikeZ (Sep 23, 2005)

thebiglebowski said:


> i keep hearing unfavorable comments about recent vintage (2005). has anyone had one VERY recently? the past month or so?


I know that Blueface had one last month and he thought it was excellent. I don't know what box code though.

http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16731


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## Blueface (May 28, 2005)

MikeZ said:


> I know that Blueface had one last month and he thought it was excellent. I don't know what box code though.
> 
> http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16731


The box I had was very good and it was a dress box, not cab.
My dad, son and I all tried them and we enjoyed them.
It was a May 05 but heck if I can remember the code as it is long gone.
I kept 10 and split the rest out.
I wish I would have kept some but perhaps next time I will try aging them.

Mike,
I think you got some of these, didn't you?


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## MikeZ (Sep 23, 2005)

Blueface said:


> Mike,
> I think you got some of these, didn't you?


Yup. Just haven't had a chance to light one up yet. Besides, I'd trust your palate before mine any time!


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

Just to clarify, if my opinion and experience can be counted on for anything, lol, There are a few misleading facts presented above. Not wrong, but certainly things that could benefit from a bit of extra thoughts. While every effort is made to keep the top layer of a dress box consistent in color, the bottom layer is somewhat less important to Habanos, although the shade will usually be very close. When it comes to cabs, the same shade rules apply, but there is far less focus on color on the BBF, IME. I have cabs that are a combination of similar but clearly different shades, which COULD be extrapolated into support for the theory that the cigars are somewhat less likely to be strictly color sorted, and thus less likely to be off of the tables of many rollers. Remember also that when a roller sits down to complete his work, he is given all of the filler he needs in blend proportion and several packets of wrapper leaf. While I have never sat down and opened a package, I feel like the wrappers contained within are similar in shade. I think this because there is a grade sort that takes place prior to fermentation, and there might also be a rough color sort after. So despite cigars being taken from all of the roller's tables and then lumped into a big neat pile and graded for color, it is conceivable that many of the cigars of the same shade could have come from the same roller's table. But like the man said, cabs are the way to go, and I am sorry I did not mention in my first reply that you should indeed strive to find a box of 04s. Best BBFs I have had in some time.


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## Fredster (Jan 26, 2004)

mcgoospot said:


> Go with the cabs. Have some from '99, '01 and '03 that are tremendous!!!


 The 99's and 03's I have are awsome too. Don't have any 01's.


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## Nely (Nov 11, 2004)

04 BBF's rule!!!
However, 2005 has put out great cigars. Who knows, maybe a little age on 05's will turn them into gems.


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## The Prince (Apr 9, 2005)

I would go with the SLB.


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## Ivory Tower (Nov 18, 2005)

You smoked Cuban cigars? Necessarily you have committed a crime, unless it was part of your torture punishment at Gitmo.


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## Wombat (Sep 8, 2005)

Well, it looks like a cab of 05's for me. Thanks for all of the help guys!


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## colgate (Jan 18, 2005)

Wombat said:


> Well, it looks like a cab of 05's for me. Thanks for all of the help guys!


You didn't read closely enough. Do you want to smoke em now? Cab of 05's will not make you happy I fear. Go with 04's and let me know where you find em if you do.


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## jgros001 (Jun 14, 2005)

colgate said:


> You didn't read closely enough. Do you want to smoke em now? Cab of 05's will not make you happy I fear. Go with 04's and let me know where you find em if you do.


He read closely and has been asking for help finding '04s, saw it on another board as well. He cannot find them or doesn't know where to look.


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## Wombat (Sep 8, 2005)

> He cannot find them or doesn't know where to look.


That's exactly right! Anybody want to help out with a secret source?


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## colgate (Jan 18, 2005)

Wombat said:


> That's exactly right! Anybody want to help out with a secret source?


You are going to have to work at that a bit. Get into a PIF. Do a split with another newb. Sort of establish yourself as not a flash in the pan. That'll take time.

Basically you'll just have to hang around and find your depth. Then you'll get the helpful nudges. But it aint easy. I would help but I don't know where to get 04 stock.


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## Wombat (Sep 8, 2005)

> You are going to have to work at that a bit. Get into a PIF. Do a split with another newb. Sort of establish yourself as not a flash in the pan. That'll take time.
> 
> Basically you'll just have to hang around and find your depth. Then you'll get the helpful nudges. But it aint easy. I would help but I don't know where to get 04 stock.


No problem, I'm in for the long haul.


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## Wombat (Sep 8, 2005)

Hey All:

One more Bolivar type question. While looking for the aged BBF's, I came across a dress box of Bolivar PC's with a box code of NISC VC3. If I have my decoding ring set corectly, thats 12/97. Is this well enough before the bad quality years of 99-00? What do you say?


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## ESP (Jan 1, 2000)

Wombat said:


> Hey All:
> 
> One more Bolivar type question. While looking for the aged BBF's, I came across a dress box of Bolivar PC's with a box code of NISC VC3. If I have my decoding ring set corectly, thats 12/97. Is this well enough before the bad quality years of 99-00? What do you say?


Buy them all!


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## croatan (Mar 23, 2005)

ESP said:


> Buy them all!


And without hesitation.


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## pinoyman (Jan 28, 2005)

Wombat said:


> Hey All:
> 
> One more Bolivar type question. While looking for the aged BBF's, I came across a dress box of Bolivar PC's with a box code of NISC VC3. If I have my decoding ring set corectly, thats 12/97. Is this well enough before the bad quality years of 99-00? What do you say?


If it's legit, buy them!


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## Wombat (Sep 8, 2005)

Done, they should ship Monday. I'll let you know....


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## ilikecigars (Mar 24, 2003)

i had always thought it common knowledge that the slb was better...maybe im wrong ?


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